Ichi's Reflection
by Animation Universe 2005
Summary: Ichi sees himself in his reflection and sees what he really is or wonders if he's someone else. Inspired by Christina Aguilera's song. Hope this will impress everyone!


I liked Christina Aguilera's song, "Reflection" and I liked the movie 'Mulan', though and since Ichi had several issues in his life, because of anger issues and his alter-ego, Shadow Ichi, this song pretty much fits in with Ichi.

BTW, I hope klonoakazeno likes this fic. Hope I've done pretty good. Everyone else, enjoy!

* * *

Ichi's Reflection

by: Terrell James

It was late one afternoon in the Jade Palace and Ichi was sitting alone in the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, looking kinda troubled and moody, that ever since he's been altering himself into Shadow Ichi, based on his favorite manga books, it feels as if he's uncontrollable of his own true self. Since being there, his anger levels has been rising up, whenever somebody messes with him or something like that, but most of those involve killing his own parents after giving birth.

He remembers everything about being angry for every little thing that somebody does or say and every single time, he resembles himself as a killer of some sorts, like nobody understands him. The real reason: many people--especially in Bau Gu Orphanage-- judge him based on who he is and he hasn't looked at himself most of the time, like he doesn't know who he is anymore.

He looked up at the sky and whispered, "I don't know who I am and why I can't control myself, like I'm a monster to everybody."

A few tears were starting to fall from his eyes and started crying softly. They were falling through his fur and he hid his face to keep people away from seeing the real Ichi and who he is. He got up from the tree and started to walk to a place where he can see himself and see what he looks like on the outside. But he was unaware that while he was going out, a stream of green eyes were looking at him.

And it turns out that those green eyes were Po's. He could tell that he's growing concerned of his little brother. He didn't know where Ichi was going, so he rushed over to the training hall to find Shifu and the Five and tell them that Ichi was going away. By the time he got there, they were already in the bunkhouse and then, turned to the kitchen and here they are.

"How long were you guys there?" Po asked.

"Well, let's just say.... we just got here." answered Crane.

Shifu looked at Po and see him shaking a little bit, like something was wrong. He grew really concerned and asked, "What's wrong, panda?"

Po sighed shakily and felt really worried about something and nobody knew what's going on. Then, Tigress screamed, "SPIT IT OUT!!!"

Everyone turned to her after that outburst and Viper asked, "Do you have to do that?"

"Only when something's important or if there's an emergency." she answered.

"Yeah, okay, well, can you _please NOT _do that, please? It's gonna give me such a migraine." said Monkey.

"Shut your face."

"You guys are not helping. What is it, buddy?" asked Mantis.

Po sighed heavily and felt like he should just let it out to everyone and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Ichi."

Most of them grew shocked when they heard it and figured if something will happen to him and Shifu was the one that grew most concerned about him. Tigress commented, "There's a shock."

Shifu quickly turned to her and told her, "I don't want to hear a stupid comment out of you and your bratty attitude. Can't you show the most compassion, please?"

"Why should I?" she asked.

"Because he's family to us."

"You mean, family to you and Po. He is _not _one of us."

Shifu's eyebrows grew lower and lower and you can tell that he was getting fed up with what Tigress' opinions about Ichi were. Then, he finally snapped and said, "Listen to me!!!! Ichi is one of us and regardless of what you say, I do _not _want to hear anymore of this bitter disrespectful behavior of yours. Now he is important to us and if we're there for him, we're not gonna turn against him. Understand?"

Tigress felt like Ichi wasn't one of us and he didn't even do anything to her, but then realized that Shifu was right about everything he said and told everyone, "We should find him."

"That's what I thought you said."

Everyone agreed and went out of the kitchen to find Ichi and then, they went outside the palace, looking for him everywhere. Shifu and Po were the ones completely worried about where he could be and the Five were thinking about what might've happened to him, so they were really scared for Ichi, because they really do care about him.

Meanwhile, Ichi walked across the Wudang Mountains on his own and felt kinda weary and then, as he was walking by, he reached into the Pool of Sacred Tears, where he sees a huge river there. He walked across there and saw his reflection, and it feels like he's a different person there.

As he looked deeply with his blue eyes staring back at him, he realized that behind those blue eyes, it's like one side is a kind, gentle soul while the other one is a dark, menacing shadow figure of himself, like he's caught between the two sides of him revealing.

He sighed sadly and asked himself, "Am I really myself.... or somebody elese that's like me, but different from anyone else?"

A few tears were coming out again and most of them were in the river, because he felt like he didn't know who we was anymore. He sat down for a while and sung himself a little song, that resembles himself as who he is.

_Look at me_

_You may think you see who I really am_

_But you'll never know me_

_Everyday, it's as if I play a part_

_Now I see if I wear a mask_

_I could fool the world, but I cannot fool my heart_

_Who is that boy I see staring straight back at me?  
When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

_I am now in a world where I_

_Have to hide my heart and what I believe in_

_But, somehow I will show the world_

_What's inside my heart and be loved for who I am_

_Who is that boy I see staring straight back at me?  
Why is my reflection someone I don't know?_

_Must I pretend that I'm someone else for all time?  
When will my reflection show who I am inside?  
_

_There's a heart that must be free to fly_

_That burns with a need to know the reason why_

_Why must we all conceal what we think and how we feel?_

_Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide?  
I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

Ichi sighed softly and felt like all these feelings were all let out because of who he really is. As he turned around, he was surprised to see Po, Shifu and the Five standing behind him. He got a little embarassed to hear the whole thing. He asked, "H-How long have you guys been standing there?"

"Long enough, Ichi. Long enough." answered Mantis.

"That was amazing!" Po exclaimed, with tears coming out of his eyes.

Ichi hid his face with his paw and it was no surprise that Po got emotional that he heard his little brother sing. He stared at him and asked, "When does this not happen?"

"But that song is true, though. When you transform yourself into Shadow Ichi, it's like a different person that's... not you. But, when yourself, it's who you're really are and what everyone likes about you. So what if they judge you because of who you really are? That's because they don't look at you as a normal person, just an outcast." explained Shifu.

"And we always look the other way and you could never hurt another person. It's just that whenever something or someone causes you to be angry, it's like another person has consumed your thoughts. And you know you could never do anything to hurt us." Po said.

Ichi felt the tears coming out of his eyes and was really touched by the things Po and Shifu said and told them, "It's because of you guys that always see me as a kind person and lucky to be around with. Ever since I've been here, all you guys have really comforted me and tried to control my anger and everything.... and I really appreciate that."

"We really consider you a part of our family and nothing and no one can replace that." said Crane.

Ichi smiled at them and said, "Thanks, you guys. So, you don't think I'm a monster?"

"Absoultely not!" Po exclaimed.

"You're still you, and it's because of what you think of yourself." said Tigress.

Everyone was surprised to hear what Tigress had to say and Po turned to her and said, "Wow, and I thought you didn't care about Ichi."

"Well, I was wrong, okay? I just get jealous of him because you and Shifu spend time with him and I said something I shouln't have said just to get them to understand my opinion of him. But, he's not so bad after all."

"Duh!" everyone exclaimed.

"Let's go home." Shifu said.

* * *

Okay, I hope this will be a good fic and I love this song very much! Enjoy! Leave some good reviews, please!


End file.
